Got candida?

Dear Pharmacist, I've been suffering with
abdominal cramps, bloating, a yellow toenail and a white-coated
tongue. My doctor told me I have a candida infection and prescribed
Diflucan. This requires liver testing. Even though my tongue and
toenails are yucky, I'd rather deal with that than damage to my
liver. What other options will help me get rid of candida? -
E.H., Gainesville, Fla.

A: All of us have this yeast Candida albicans
inside our bodies, but when your immune system is overworked, the
yeast growth gets out of control and causes widespread,
uncomfortable symptoms. Candida overgrowth (candidiasis) may cause
irritable bowels, bad breath, constipation, eczema, psoriasis,
vaginal yeast infections, jock itch, athlete's foot, ringworm, and
cancer. The brain gets involved too, and some people experience
headaches, brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, as well as intense
cravings for sweets and starches. That's because candida needs
sugar to grow. If you have a sweet tooth and a stressful life (and
thus a compromised immune system), you will make candida spread
like wildfire. Starve it to death by avoiding white sugar and carbs
then boost your immune system with antioxidants, glutathione and
vitamin D.

Doctors will usually attempt to kill candida with drugs. Using
drugs long-term is not wise because candida replicates and comes
back with a vengeance. This nasty trick is called "resistance."
Besides, if you don't change your diet and boost immune function,
you will need drugs forever, such as:

Nystatin: This prescription drug does not leave
the gut so it is only helpful for thrush or candida overgrowth in
the GI tract.

Monistat or Micatin: Over-the-counter creams
used for vaginal yeast infections or jock itch.

Diflucan: This medication gets into the
bloodstream to kill fungus everywhere but it may adversely affect
your liver; it also interacts with blood thinners, diabetic meds
and a popular diuretic, HCTZ. A drug with similar anti-fungal
properties is Nizoral.

The good news is that there are natural anti-fungal herbs
available that do battle with candida and other nasty germs that
try to make us sick. The following dietary supplements are
well-studied and sold at most health food stores:

Oil of oregano: A very powerful, natural and
safe herb; choose a pure brand, one that is organic and not
genetically modified (written as, "non GMO").

Pau d'arco: Fungus doesn't normally grow under
Pau d'arco trees which are native to the Amazon rain forest. Pau
d'arco can demolish candida, H. pylori, and some strains of
aspergillus, pneumonia and staph.

Grapefruit Seed Extract (or GSE): I think this
one is incredibly effective and it's very inexpensive.

Olive Leaf: It has broad spectrum abilities so
it destroys many dangerous pathogens.

Saccharomyces boulardii: This supplement
contains a friendly yeast originally extracted from lychee and
mangosteen (fruits) and it drives out candida; some brands include
Reflor, Florastor and DiarSafe.

Candidase: This brand contains two enzymes that
control yeast overgrowth.

Did You Know? Zinc supplementation protects
against damage to the digestive tract from alcohol.

This information is not intended treat, cure or diagnose
your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of "The 24-Hour
Pharmacist." For more information, visit http://www.DearPharmacist.com">http://www.DearPharmacist.com.